Jesus Answers A Demand For A Sign Series

-Matthew-

38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.

39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. (Matthew 12:38-41)

The religious leaders try to flatter Jesus by addressing Him as Master. They were willing to concede that He was a teacher, but they would not agree that He was a prophet, unless He gave them signs, which would verify that He was one, therefore they say; we would see a sign from thee.

They wanted to see a sign from heaven. They had seen signs from Him on earth: He cured a man that had a withered hand, and He cast a demon out of a man, that was dumb and blind; but they looked upon these as signs from hell, and done by an alliance with the Devil. So, they demanded that He show them a sign from heaven, where they believed that Satan was powerless. They wanted to see the type of things that were done on Mount Sinai, when the Law was given. At that time, there was thunder and lightning, and a thick cloud and the voice of a trumpet; and some visible appearances of divine majesty. They insinuate that if He could do something like this; cause something visible and miraculous to appear in the sky, they would believe He was a prophet or even the Messiah. But without the miracles, they would not accept him as a prophet or the Messiah. In Christ’s time, the Jews expected signs and wonders to be wrought by the Messiah, as the proof of who He was.

Jesus had an answer, but not for the Scribes and Pharisees; He turned to the common people, and said, “An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign.” They had degenerated spiritually from the faith, religion and piety of their ancestors and they practiced polygamy, and there were frequent divorces for trivial reasons. Their leaders pretended to be religious and to live holy lives, but were adulterers instead.

He would give them many wonderful signs after this, but not what they wanted. There would be no signs from heaven, but thousands would receive physical healing from disease and others would be released from control by demons.

They would be given one particular sign, and it would come out of the earth, but it would not be for their assurance, but for their condemnation, and it would seem very much like what had been done for the prophet Jonah.

Jesus is speaking of the prophet Jonah, who spent three days in the belly of a great fish. This was a fantastic sign, because without a miracle it would not be possible for a man to survive for one hour, let alone for three days and three nights in the belly of a fish. And on the third day, like one who rose from the dead, to be cast out of it, and to land on dry ground. Here, Jonah is a picture of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The Jews knew the story of Jonah and believed it to be a wondrous miracle.